Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill 2023 passed by Parliament

The Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill 2023 has been passed by the Joint Sitting of the Parliament today (Monday, April 10).         

According to the media reports, the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill 2023 proposes that every cause, appeal, or matter before the Supreme Court shall be heard and disposed of by a bench constituted by a Committee comprising the Chief Justice of Pakistan and two senior-most judges in order of seniority.

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The Bill further stated that any matter invoking the exercise of original jurisdiction under clause (3) of Article 184 of the Constitution shall be first placed before the committee for examination and if the committee is of the view that a question of public importance with reference to enforcement of any of the fundamental rights is involved then it shall constitute a bench comprising not less than three judges of the apex court, which may also include the members of the committee for adjudication of the matter.

The Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill recommends that an appeal shall lie within 30 days from the final order of a bench of the Supreme Court, which exercised jurisdiction to the larger bench of the apex court and such appeal shall for hearing be fixed within a period not exceeding fourteen days. Furthermore, it grants a party the right to appoint counsel of its choice for filing a review application. An application pleading urgency or seeking interim relief filed in a cause, appeal, or matter shall be fixed for hearing within 14 days from the date of its filing.

The Bill was moved by Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar.

Earlier, it was passed by both Houses of Parliament and sent to President Dr. Arif Alvi for former approval making it into law. But the President returned the Bill to the Parliament for review.